Alzheimer's disease is a disease of the nervous system and is one of the leading causes of death in old age.

According to statistics, 15% of the world's population suffers from this disease to one degree or another.

Therefore, you should pay attention to the behavior of older people, and if certain symptoms are present, immediately seek the help of doctors.

Signs of Alzheimer's disease indicate the presence of pathological changes in the brain, which develop and progress rapidly over time.

Brain cells gradually die, and the person slowly loses memory, becomes absent-minded, and coordination is impaired.

All these and some other symptoms lead to dementia. Very often this is called senile insanity.

Typically, Alzheimer's disease develops in older people, but the first signs and symptoms may appear as early as the middle age of 40.

Many scientists have proven that people with developed intelligence are less susceptible to this fate than those with little education.

Also, women are more likely to develop dementia than men, the reason for this is long duration life of the weaker sex.

Causes and factors of the disease

The causes of Alzheimer's disease are not fully understood, so many modern scientists are still researching them.

But, some conclusions have been drawn, they say that in many cases, when the disease appears, heredity plays an important role.

The disease can be transmitted in the form of genes, which lead to its occurrence. Also the cause of dementia are serious damage nervous system.

This is the appearance of plaques in the brain tissue and neurofibrillary tangles. The root cause of their occurrence is prion proteins, which cause this process.

These formations negatively affect brain function, impair memory and intelligence. Cause significant impairment of mental performance and a decrease in neurotransmitters.

The presence of these substances contributes to proper operation cells, and when they are deficient, brain function is impaired. As a result, there is a disorder of memory and attention, and mental ability is impaired.

Another little-studied cause of the disease is toxic metal poisoning.

For example, this can happen when eating, when grains of aluminum or other metal get into the food.

Additional risk factors

They also pay attention to some factors that may contribute to the development of the disease. First of all, it is age than older man, the greater the chances of encountering this disease.

Contribute to the development of pathology and, especially, loss of consciousness.

Patients suffering from various diseases cordially - vascular system, diabetes mellitus.

It has been established that high blood pressure can cause a stroke, during which blood vessels in the brain are damaged. As a result, memory and speech are impaired and the general condition worsens.

All of these factors can lead to disease in the future.

A certain role in the onset of the disease is played by viral infections affecting the nervous system.

Poor nutrition bad habits can also lead to senile insanity.

This especially applies to heavy smokers. This addiction changes blood pressure, impairs blood clotting, so the factor in the development of pathology increases.

The disease is also more common in people with a lack of mental stress.

Clinical picture

There are several stages of Alzheimer's disease

• predementia;
• early;
• moderate;
• late stage.

Predementia

Often, the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can appear at a fairly young age, after 40 years.

There are practically no symptoms, only occasionally there may be complaints of weakness and apathy. The examination also does not reveal any violations or any changes in memory.

Early stage

At an early stage, the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease appear.

Partial memory loss occurs, sometimes familiar names and surnames, some words, locations of objects, etc. are forgotten.

The patient sometimes gets lost in a situation where it is necessary to plan or compare something, cannot pay in a store, gets lost among strangers.

In addition, attention is impaired, the person becomes irritable and nervous. Severe headaches and dizziness often appear. However, with such violations, examination may not always detect changes.

- a symptom that occurs in many neurological diseases. What treatment methods does modern medicine offer? How to help a person diagnosed with Charcot-Marie amyotrophy survive or at least alleviate his suffering. to these and other questions.

Dementia progresses

At the next stage of development, dementia begins to progress and the condition worsens significantly.

Deviations are already noticeable, they can also be detected when medical examination, during which special testing is carried out.

The patient cannot remember the names of relatives and friends, it is difficult to remember the names of objects, it is difficult to remember what he saw or read a text.

Inability to make calculations, name the day of the week, date.

Moreover, patients need help to get dressed and undressed, they become withdrawn and upset, irritated for any reason, and can get lost while walking.

Many people lose the feeling of fullness while eating; they don’t remember what foods they ate.

Noticed inappropriate behavior, Not healthy person may scream, cry, laugh, threaten, etc. for no reason. Problems arise with movement, the gait imperceptibly turns into “shuffling.”

Last stage

The fourth stage is very severe, it occurs dramatic change personalities, the patient is in complete need of outside help.

He cannot clearly express his thoughts, often loses speech completely, forgets his name, and often does not recognize his family and friends.

Problems with the toilet arise, moments of urinary and fecal incontinence occur, patients require assistance when walking, sometimes they cannot hold their head up on their own, and the swallowing reflex becomes weak.

Very often severe violations lead to hallucinations, manic behavior, etc. At the same time, the skin becomes flaccid and dry, cracks may appear, and the muscle mass, sometimes seizures occur.

The patient practically stops moving and cannot get out of bed without assistance.

Treatment of the disease

Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure the disease completely, but there are still some drugs and treatment methods to maintain a stable condition of patients and slow down the progression of the disease.

First of all, this drug therapy, which facilitates the course of the disease, slows down the development of pathology, and strengthens memory.

With the help antipsychotics, suppress aggression and psychosis, fight apathy and depression.

The psychosocial method of treatment is widely practiced; it is aimed at maintaining psychological state sick.

To do this, they use training to restore memory, music therapy, practice exercises that activate the senses, etc.

Traditional medicine is practically powerless in treating the disease, but with its help you can strengthen the immune system, and this can benefit the patient.

Treatment details

How to avoid getting sick?

Compliance necessary recommendations on prevention will help to avoid of this disease. They are uncomplicated and quite simple.

Perhaps the most effective prevention is a healthy lifestyle:

• proper nutrition;
• moderate physical activity;
• giving up bad habits;
• communication with friends and loved ones.

Also, for prevention purposes, you need to regularly monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels, avoid head injuries, protect the body from radiation and chemical influences, and conduct regular examinations with specialists.

So, reading books, solving crosswords, mind games etc.

All of the above measures have positive results in this direction, and are able to maintain health for many years.

It should be recognized that today modern medicine does not fully cope with Alzheimer’s disease; the means that can overcome the disease and completely cure it have not yet been found.

But prospects exist, as scientists around the world are developing new methods and drugs, conducting various studies, thanks to which, in the near future it will be possible to completely get rid of the disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a form of age-related dementia, or dementia (from the Latin word dementia, meaning madness).

Indeed, the first sign of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss: patients first forget what happened to them literally an hour ago.

Subsequently, the process of brain atrophy worsens and the person no longer, as they say, remembers himself.

Knowing the first signs of Alzheimer's disease will help you get timely help from doctors and prolong your life. full life for several years.

Dementia in the disease under consideration develops due to atrophy nerve tissue brain. MRI images show:

• reduction in brain size,
• changes in the cerebral cortex,
• characteristic “Alzheimer's” or “senile” (senile) plaques in the cerebral cortex, which lead to the death of neurons.

The nature of the disease, that is, the root cause of the formation of neuronal plaques, unfortunately, has not yet been precisely determined.

The brain of a healthy person and one affected by Alzheimer's disease

The only things known for sure about Alzheimer's disease are:

1. The disease mainly affects older people who have passed the age of 65, and more often than not, 70 years. This is 90% of patients. The remaining 10% are cases of onset of this disease between 45-60 years.
2. Most cases early form- a consequence of mutations in genes called APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2. As a result of these mutations, the toxic peptide beta-amyloid is produced and accumulates, leading to the formation of Alzheimer's plaques in the brain. In this case, the disease is transmitted from generation to generation, although not to every family member.
3. There is a theory about viral nature diseases. What kind of virus it is has not been precisely and comprehensively established. A version has been put forward about special virus Alzheimer's disease, and there is also evidence that the herpes virus can influence the development of dementia.
4. The most widespread theory is that Alzheimer's disease is caused by modern civilization. Human brain“got lazy” thanks to development information technology. All kinds of gadgets are used to solve routine mental tasks, such as small calculations that a person used to do in his head, making to-do and shopping lists, etc. As a result, the brain stops working and many of its functions are lost due to passivity. Another “civilizational” factor is the increase in the average duration life cycle among the population. This is confirmed by the growing number of dementia patients in all developed countries, statistically recorded in recent decades.
5. The risk of dementia increases in people who have had severe traumatic brain injury or mental illness in their lives.
6. It has been noted that the disease is more common among people with weak intellectual activity and less often - those who have higher education and is busy with intellectual work.

The presence of gene abnormalities that increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease can be determined through an individual examination by a geneticist.

Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease - Symptoms

The disease is insidious in that at an early stage it is usually not noticed by either the patient himself or his family members. Gradually, a person becomes more and more absent-minded and forgetful, while others may attribute what is happening to him to age-related changes.

At an early stage, patients:

• forget about time;
• experience difficulties in activities that require memory and attention: work, driving, some household chores;
• suddenly they may get lost in a long-familiar place;
• experience problems in communication: difficulties in choosing words, a person starts talking and forgets what he was talking about, the ability to understand the interlocutor’s speech decreases;
• become irritable and angry or, conversely, apathetic and depressed;
• experience anxiety;
• may show unexpected outbursts of aggressiveness.

The most important symptom of Alzheimer's disease is that a person forgets about time.

If a patient goes to take a bath and stays in it for several hours or puts food on the boil and forgets about it, this is very warning signs, forcing him to monitor his behavior and take him to the doctor.

Signs of the disease in a general description

The course of Alzheimer's disease varies greatly both in the age of onset of the disease and in the specifics of its course in individual cases. And yet there are general signs diseases:

• Loss of memory, initially short-term, concerning recent events; then gradually all memory is erased past life. At the intermediate stage, a person does not remember either his youth or childhood, but at last stage illness - does not recognize his own relatives.
• It becomes difficult for a person to do ordinary activities: drive a car, exercise professional activity(if a person works) or household chores.
• Feeling confused or frustrated, especially at night.
• Sudden mood swings - outbursts of anger, anxiety and depression.
• A feeling of disorientation in space: the patient can easily get lost outside the home, and in the final stage, even in his own home (even if he lives in a one-room apartment).
• Physical problems such as unsteady gait, poor coordination.
• Communication problems. First, individual words are forgotten and the thread of the conversation is lost. As the disease develops, the patient becomes verbose and repeats the same thing several times. On late stage the person does not speak at all, and it becomes impossible to establish contact with him.

The gradual loss of body functions leads to death.

Life expectancy after a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is on average 7-9 years; only 2-4% of patients live about 15 years.

Specific symptoms of the disease

In women

Until recently, it was generally accepted that women were more susceptible to developing Alzheimer's disease than men. Indeed, according to statistics, about 70% of patients are representatives of the fairer sex. However, as studies conducted in Europe and the USA have shown, the situation is not so clear.

On the one hand, the reason for this percentage is the difference in life expectancy. Speaking in simple language, up to the age at which it is diagnosed this disease, a significant part of men simply do not survive. On the other hand, the influence has been proven female hormones, such as estrogen and others, on changes in neurons and synapses in the brain.

Scientists have found that the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease have a clear gender specificity.

Signs of the disease in women:

• cognitive disorders (from the Latin word “Cognitio” - cognition): disorders of memory, orientation in space and time; subsequently - confusion and “foggy” thinking;
• anhedonia, that is, loss of pleasure from life, up to complete apathy and depression;
• behavioral problems that interfere with normal communication: sharp changes moods from laughter to crying, outbursts of irritation without external cause etc.

At the beginning of the disease, women experience what is happening within themselves and try to maintain their social status and at least the appearance of former well-being. Realizing the futility of such attempts, they become withdrawn and emotionally unstable.

In men

Among representatives of the stronger sex, Alzheimer's disease has the following features:

• a higher tendency to aggression - verbal, physical and sexual - compared to women;
• slower progression of dementia;
• tendency to leave home and wander.

Diagnosis in men can be difficult, since relatives often mistake the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease for a change in character for the worse. Dementia occurs gradually, and therefore aggressiveness and lack of restraint may be perceived by relatives as a kind of age-related male norm.

Alzheimer's disease mainly affects older people, but it is not part of the normal aging process because it involves the death of brain cells.

Having noticed the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a neurologist, and he will already prescribe necessary research and therapy to stop the progression of the disease and thereby prolong conscious life.

Video on the topic

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease of the nervous system. Characterized by dysfunction of brain cells. The number of neurons is depleted and senile dementia develops. Basically, the disease makes itself felt in old age. After age 60, the risk of Alzheimer's disease increases every year, and after age 85, it occurs in more than 40 percent of the population.

The disease has been known since 1905, but today remains incurable. Treatment only helps to reduce symptoms. Reasons causing disease, little studied. Even a completely healthy person can get sick. The life of the patient and the people around him changes. Despite the high level of medicine, mortality from Alzheimer's disease continues to rise.

Causes of the disease and risk areas:

Development mechanism

The causes of Alzheimer's disease are not understood. Leading geneticists, biochemists and biologists have revealed only an approximate mechanism:

• Protein is deposited in the brain and “senile plaques” appear;
• Deposits form from damaged neurons (neurofibrillary tangles);
• Destruction occurs nerve pathways brain The damage begins in the hippocampus. This area of ​​the brain is the first to be affected in Alzheimer's disease;
• The amount of acetylcholine, somatostatin, and glutamate decreases. This decrease in the concentration of transmitters does not allow the cells of the body to exchange information. The learning process becomes impossible, memory deteriorates and mental activity.

Stages of the disease

Early stage. Characterized by apathy, withdrawal from communication with loved ones, loss of interest in favorite activities - these are the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. Often goes unnoticed. The patient tries to hide the symptoms. This behavior wastes valuable time. After all, the first stages of the disease can be successfully corrected medicines, and arises stable remission. One more distinctive feature the initial stage is sloppiness. The patient does not want to take care of his appearance. If an elderly person constantly loses things and he cannot find them, if the most harmless events cause attacks of anger and unreasonable grievances arise, there is no motivation to continue living - these are the first symptoms and a reason to consult a doctor.

Rising stage. In addition to memory loss, there comes a feeling of confusion and bewilderment. The patient does not understand what is happening to him and suffers from it. He knows that treatment is needed, but he constantly forgets to take his medications. Nervousness, tearfulness appear, and memory lapses become more frequent. Events that happened just a few minutes ago are forgotten. Earlier events are not affected yet.

Stage of disorientation. The person ceases to orient himself in place and time; for the patient there are no seasons or familiar dates. All recent events disappear from memory. The patient may feel young and forget about the years he has lived. Over time, accumulated knowledge disappears and old memories fall out of memory. Depression develops.

Last stage. The patient ceases to recognize familiar faces. He forgets how to climb stairs and cross the road, his life is in constant danger. All colors and writing skills are forgotten, speech becomes at first slurred, then completely incoherent. Hallucinations and convulsions occur. The symptoms increase literally day by day. A person needs round-the-clock care. At this stage the person is bedridden. Patients in the last stage do not live long. More often death occurs as a result of pneumonia caused by a recumbent lifestyle.

The stages of Alzheimer's disease should not be confused with normal stages age-related changes human behavior. The older the person, the more character changes for the worse. Whims, tearfulness, inability to remember any information, forgetfulness - not necessarily dementia.

How long do people live with Alzheimer's disease?

The rate of development of the disease is individual for each person. Average duration life is 8 years. Causes of death are bacterial, bronchopulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.

Diagnosis of the disease

If an elderly person shows the first signs of Alzheimer's disease, examination and immediate treatment are necessary. To differentiate Alzheimer's disease from other diseases with similar symptoms, careful collection of data is needed, as well as:

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease

There are no drugs to treat the disease yet. On at the moment Treatment consists of temporary relief of symptoms. Drug development is ongoing pharmaceutical companies And scientific institutes. But all that medicine can do is to slightly slow down the development of the disease in its initial stages, prevent destructive processes occurring in the brain, smooth out symptoms.

For this use:

Disease prevention

No person is immune from Alzheimer's disease. But everyone can take care of their health in advance. Numerous studies have proven that the disease can be prevented by:

How to slow down the progression of the disease

Folk remedies

Treatment folk remedies Alzheimer's disease is not always effective and sometimes unsafe. Traditional methods can only be used under the supervision of a specialist. How many herbalists and traditional healers– so many different recipes:

It is impossible to cure Alzheimer's disease using traditional methods. Neither in official pharmacology, nor in folk medicine funds for complete cure No. Therefore, the methods are good only for prevention and general improvement of the body’s condition.

How to help the family and the sick person?

In the initial stages of the disease plays an important role psychological support. The psychotherapist will help the patient and his family come to terms with the disease. In the early stages, the symptoms are almost invisible and the person can take care of himself. Get all your affairs in order and seek legal help. The neurologist will give full description illness, will indicate all the symptoms, then it will be easier for the patient to build his future life.

At the second stage, family support is needed. The patient can still take care of himself, but his life is in constant danger. A person can get lost near his home, and accidents often occur. The tasks of relatives are to ensure constant control of a loved one. The patient's family should explain to others that the disease is not contagious. If possible, all neighbors should know about the family's situation. The patient needs constant communication. Remember that soon your loved one won’t even remember you.

At the last stage, a person is in supine position. This requires qualified care. Best option– placement of the patient in a hospice, where people live under constant supervision. During rare improvements they will provide psychological assistance. Since the patient is susceptible to viral and bacterial diseases, he needs isolation and medical supervision. For relatives and the patient himself, this option is the most convenient. If it is not possible to place a person in a specialized institution, then a permanent nurse is needed.

Alzheimer's disease is ordeal for the patient and his loved ones. Modern medicine is powerless and the disease will inevitably progress. To avoid becoming a burden to the family in the future, you need constant prevention. High mental activity, high-quality nutrition, supporting the body with folk remedies, physical activity and health control are the key to a dignified old age without Alzheimer's disease.

Reading strengthens neural connections:

Under this term, doctors introduced into the 21st century a disease that has long been known among the people under a less euphonious name - “ bitch udder ». Medical name diseases - hidradenitis or purulent inflammation sweat glands

Previously, inflammation covered only the perineal area, the isola, popliteal or armpits. Now the disease often appears on the palms of gamers who do not look away from the keys and joystick for at least 8 hours a day.

To adolescence the disease does not occur - the sweat glands are activated at the moment hormonal maturation, young people from 13-14 to 35-37 years old suffer from the disease. How to help those who suffer from Gamer's disease, is it curable?

New - unforgotten old

Symptoms of Geimer's disease increase gradually:

• the palms are swollen, the swelling is local at first - on the fingertips, then spreads to the entire palm;
• the skin on the hands turns purple;
• When pressed, compactions are felt under the skin - infiltrates.

At a later stage of the disease, ulcers first form at the sites of compaction, and then weeping ulcers - the ulcers open spontaneously.

The symptoms of the disease, which has been known since the 13th century, are all the same, only the localization of abscesses has moved from the groin folds to the fingers and palms.

Causes of Geimer's disease:

• Staphylococcus aureus;
• streptococcus;
• coli.

They enter the sweat glands from the surface of the skin or are brought in from the inside if there is a source of inflammation in the body.

The tendency to Heimer's disease can be passed on from generation to generation - the skin type with short and enlarged sweat glands is inherited.

There are 2 types of sweat glands in humans:

• Apocrine. They are located under the arms, around the nipples, near the anus and in the groin. The sweat released from them is thicker, has a strong odor and has a whitish color - it contains a certain amount of fat and cholesterol;
• Eccrine. They are located over the entire surface of the skin, secrete clear sweat from faint odor, which occurs due to lactic acid - it protects the skin from bacteria and fungal infection.

Apocrine sweat glands increase sweat production in stressful situations- when overexcited, eccrine - when overheated. As previously thought, only apocrine glands are susceptible to hidradenitis, since sweat secretions have alkaline environment, which is not afraid of pathogenic microorganisms.

The disease is not typical for the eccrine glands, since the sweat they produce contains lactic acid bacteria - the main protection against the introduction of pathogens. Those who spend 24 hours a day at the computer don’t think about it at all. immune status body, they do not walk, do not eat on time, and neglect the rules of personal hygiene.

Due to the increased production of hormones, which are subsequently wasted - motor activity low, there is no communication with the opposite sex - the secretion being produced has changed its qualities.

On the keyboard keys and on the joystick, which no one wipes or washes, much less treats with an antiseptic, pathogenic flora accumulates in large quantities. After its introduction into the upper layer of the epidermis through the sweat glands, inflammatory process.

People of the Negroid race suffer especially badly - they have Geimer's disease 3 times more often, in the 21st century the disease was first identified in them.

About Hidradenitis

The risk of hidradenitis palmaris is increased in people with low immune status.

The disease develops according to the following algorithm:

• The sweat gland becomes clogged, a horny plug is formed in it from the secretion of the glands and desquamated epithelium;
• This plug from the inside puts pressure on the sweat gland, expanding it; bacteria that have entered along with the epithelium begin to multiply rapidly, since they were formed for their development favorable conditions. The secretion continues to be produced, increasing the activity of pathogenic flora;
• Inflammation begins;
• Under the influence of purulent contents, the membrane of the gland ruptures, the infection enters the surrounding tissues;
• The body begins to fight the inflammatory process, forming connective tissue a barrier that limits the purulent cavity.

If the cavity is opened again, then fibrin begins to be deposited on its walls after the release of purulent discharge, and fistula tracts appear, through which pus is also released.

The disease is accompanied by general intoxication of the body - the most susceptible to damage is nervous system. The patient feels general weakness, lethargy, he appears headache and insomnia. The temperature may rise.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis is quite easy to establish. A superficial examination and questioning of the patient about his character is sufficient. developing inflammation. A bacteriological examination is required - a scraping smear is taken from the surface of the skin to identify the type of pathogen and more accurately prescribe treatment.

Comprehensive therapy - includes the following activities:

• a diet excluding fatty, hot and spicy foods, carbonated drinks and sweets;
• compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• increased physical activity;
• normalization of work and rest regimes;
• drug treatment.

Drug treatment and surgery

In severe cases - with general intoxication of the body - antibiotics are prescribed or antifungal drugs depending on the type of pathogen. Sometimes anthelmintics are required.

Antihistamines and immunocorrectors are used. Well intensive care usually lasts 3 days. The affected areas are treated with local action, having anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. For multiple lesions, bandages are applied.

For speedy recovery The menu should include fruits, vegetables and cereals - foods rich in fiber and vitamins, fermented milk products And food additives with brewer's yeast. To restore the functioning of the sweat glands and speedy regeneration The skin is treated with physiotherapy: ultraviolet irradiation, high-frequency and microwave therapy.

If the inflammatory process does not go away after 3 days of treatment, surgical intervention is resorted to.

Depending on clinical picture Various types of operations are carried out:

• The area with the abscess is opened, the purulent contents are removed, the wound is washed and further treated until complete healing;
• The sweat gland is removed and fibrous tissue and fistulas are excised;
• If the inflammatory process caused the appearance of many small abscesses, then you have to excise the tissue along with the layer subcutaneous tissue. Autohemotherapy and skin grafting from another part of the body may be required. This operation is performed under general anesthesia.

Candidate of Medical Sciences Mkhitaryan E.A.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) begins imperceptibly, mainly in old age, gradually progresses and leads to memory impairment and higher brain functions, up to the complete collapse of intelligence, shortening the lives of patients.

IN lately, based on numerous studies, factors predisposing to the development of Alzheimer's disease have been identified, among which the primary ones are old age and the presence of Alzheimer's disease in relatives. Also in the development of Alzheimer's disease, a history of traumatic brain injury, myocardial infarction, low level education, diseases thyroid gland, exposure to electromagnetic fields and late age mother during childbirth.

Cause of Alzheimer's disease

Despite the enormous amount of research into Alzheimer's disease in recent decades, the cause of most cases of the disease remains unknown. More than ten are currently being considered various theories that explain the cause of Alzheimer's disease. It is believed that the disease is heterogeneous in its origin: in some cases it is hereditary, in others it is not. With early onset of the disease before age 65, the main cause of most cases is heredity. Family forms with early onset make up only 10% of total number sick. Recent research into the genetics of Alzheimer's disease has identified three genes that are responsible for the development of familial, hereditary forms of the disease. The presence of these genes means an almost 100% risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Despite the achievements of molecular genetics, which have proven the genetic nature of a significant part of familial cases of AD, the significance of genetic factors in the occurrence of more than 80% of all cases of Alzheimer's disease remains unclear.

Clinical picture, diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is named after Aloys Alzheimer, who in 1905 described a case of dementia in a 56-year-old woman. 5 years before her death, she experienced progressive memory loss, she began to get confused in the surrounding area, and then in her own apartment. She also had speech impairments (reading, writing). Despite the pronounced changes, upon examination neurological disorders was not found. The patient died 4.5 years after hospitalization. Post-mortem examination revealed atrophy (decrease in volume) of the brain.

The modern classification of asthma is based on the age principle. Depending on the age of onset of the disease, the degree of its progression, and the characteristics of the clinical picture, subtypes of Alzheimer's disease are distinguished: with early onset (before 65 years, type 2 AD) and with late onset (65 years and older, type 1 AD). However, there is no clear data to distinguish between these forms.

It is quite difficult to determine the time of onset of the disease; Symptoms such as disturbances in orientation in time, space and self appear in the later stages of the disease. The first manifestation of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. It should be noted that memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease obeys Ribot's law: relatively recent events are first forgotten, then, as the disease progresses, memory for more distant events is also lost. In the early stages, the memorization of new material is impaired, while the storage of adequately memorized information does not differ from age norm. In the future, it becomes impossible to memorize any new information, and with the death of cells, memory for distant events is also lost. Then other disorders appear: spatial representations are disrupted, which leads to difficulties in orientation in unfamiliar areas (patients may forget the way home and get lost) and in time, and speech disorders appear. Personal characterological features are sharpened. As memory impairment progresses, patients experience the phenomenon of reviving memories of events from the distant past. Patients do not remember events that happened recently, and they awaken memories of the distant past, and, depending on the severity of memory impairment, patients name their age, marital status and occupation according to the period of their life in which they seem to live during this period. It is possible to develop the so-called “mirror” symptom (patients stop recognizing their image in the mirror).

Speech disturbances appear and gradually intensify, as well as difficulties with reading and writing. At the beginning, they are not pronounced, but as the disease progresses, disruptions in the understanding of spoken speech occur, and the naming of familiar objects is impaired.

In most cases, personality changes occur already in the early stages of the disease. Patients develop grumpiness, a tendency to suspicion and conflict. Later, against the background of personal changes, a tendency to develop delusions arises. Most often this is crazy ideas damage directed against persons in the immediate environment. The development of hallucinations (usually visual) is possible. Almost half of the patients experience increased anxiety and depression. Behavior often changes.

Some patients with Alzheimer's disease also experience sleep disturbances.

At severe stages, the possibility of independent existence is lost and dependence on others is formed. Difficulties arise in dressing and using ordinary household items.

Smell disturbances are often described in AD.

The clinical picture of the disease depends on the age of onset of the disease. With the early onset of Alzheimer's disease, disorders of higher brain functions (speech, purposeful actions, recognition, spatial functions) appear already in the first stages. The rate of disease progression also depends on the age at onset of the disease. Early-onset Alzheimer's disease is characterized by more rapid progression. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease after age 65 has a slower course with periods of stabilization. In patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, the disease develops slowly at the first stage and progresses rapidly at the stage of clinically significant dementia, in contrast to patients with late-onset AD, who experience slow progression at all stages of development.

The clinical picture of classic Alzheimer's disease at the early stage of the disease is characterized by the presence of a triad of symptoms: memory impairment, spatial orientation and speech impairment. At the onset of the disease, due to criticism of their condition, patients tend to compensate or hide violations from their relatives, as a result of which, when visiting a doctor, a fairly obvious clinical picture is usually revealed.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is complex and requires a careful assessment of the medical history, clinical presentation and course of the disease. The most important goal is to detect the disease at the earliest stages of its development. In this regard, everyone elderly patient with complaints of memory impairment that interfere with his everyday life, should be examined by a neurologist or psychiatrist. A qualified specialist should conduct a neuropsychological examination to determine the presence and severity of memory impairment. Various paraclinical research methods in patients with suspected AD help more to exclude other causes of dementia than to establish a diagnosis.

For diagnosis, but mainly to exclude other causes of dementia, all patients with Alzheimer's disease require magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography(CT) of the brain. In AD, the most striking change on MRI and CT scans of the brain is considered to be the presence of cerebral atrophy (reduction in the volume of brain matter), especially pronounced in posterior regions brain. To detect cerebral atrophy more than informative method is to conduct an MRI of the brain than a CT scan.

The most reliable method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and many other dementias is a brain biopsy. However, it is used as a research technique and is not used in our country

It is necessary to differentiate asthma from vascular brain damage, but you should be aware that these two conditions are often combined.

Forecast

To date, we do not yet know the factors that would allow us to predict the course of the disease. It is known that an initially high level of education contributes to a slower progression of the disease. However, it is possible that patients with high level formations are noticed earlier initial symptoms diseases (increased forgetfulness) and consult a doctor at earlier stages.

The life expectancy of patients with Alzheimer's disease from the time of diagnosis is on average 6 years, but can vary from 2 to 20 years.